The rebel army's position sat not far from the Imperial Capital.
Originally, many had visited the camp following their overwhelming victory against the subjugation army sent by Schuls. Now, however, the rebel camp was larger and more sprawling than ever. The reason, of course, was the news spreading of how they had repelled the subjugation army sent by Cabajid right on the heels of the one sent by Schuls.
This had been no mere victory. It was an unthinkable military feat: the subjugation forces had been annihilated, while the rebels suffered no casualties at all. Consequently, the rebel leadership broadcast the news far and wide. To boost morale, rumors were circulated regarding the elite status of the person known by Crimson's alias, Rei, and the Mobile Unit he led.
Some within the rebel leadership felt that while Rei was impossible to hide, the Mobile Unit should be kept under wraps. They were an elite force trained rigorously by Rei and Seto. Their combat power far exceeded that of ordinary troops, and leaders saw them as a potential trump card for emergencies.
Many within the rebellion agreed, but ultimately, the unit's existence was publicized. They needed to bolster morale, but more importantly, they wanted to solidify the impression—which was essentially fact—that the rebel army held an overwhelming advantage in the civil strife. In this, Tilleul, the man in charge of the rebels' information operations, had pushed past the objections of the opposition faction. As a result, merchants and people from surrounding towns and villages, lured by the rumors of the rebels' dominance, flocked to the camp in search of profit.
"I understand that much, but what about the people coming from the direction of the Imperial Capital? That's exactly where the rebel army is planning to march," Mura mused.
"People are shrewd," Sistoi replied. "If they judge it even slightly to their benefit, they'll come. Especially with the rumors that the rebels are humanitarian; it lessens the resistance to the idea."
"Even if those rumors were spread by the rebels themselves? Who knows if they're true..."
"Those rumors got us into the camp safely. We should be grateful instead of criticizing them."
"But, Sistoi..."
Sistoi shook his head slightly, scanning their surroundings. "Calm down, Mura. Our top priority is to avoid notice. Crimson should be somewhere in this camp. We need to stay under the radar."
In reality, Rei was already in the Imperial Capital, but that fact was being kept strictly secret; thus, Mura and Sistoi had no way of knowing. However, while Rei was one thing, the Gryphon Seto was far more conspicuous. Since the creature had not been seen for days, concealing Rei's absence was becoming difficult.
Still, the fact that no rumors of him being killed or fleeing had surfaced despite his absence spoke to the absolute trust the rebel army placed in him. When he had first joined, many had harbored grudges against him. Yet, through his overwhelming strength and proven results, he had forced those filled with resentment, hatred, and jealousy to acknowledge him.
"It's honestly surprising," Mura said. "To think there's almost no one left who holds a grudge against him."
Just as she noted, while those who resented Rei hadn't vanished entirely, very few dared to voice it openly.
"True enough. It might actually be harder to hit him here than it was in the Capital. But we have no other options."
"Yes."
The job they had accepted from the Requiem Bell—the assassination of Rei. They knew accomplishing it was far beyond their current capabilities, but they could not back down. To retreat now meant forfeiting their lives.
"Now, calm yourself. You're starting to stand out from the crowd," Mura chided. "Besides, we have more to do than just Crimson's assassination. There's that additional request."
"Do I? I wasn't aware."
"Sistoi, you're thinner than before, and your face has a sharp edge to it. Be more careful."
Despite her tone, a hint of sadness and relief flickered in Mura's eyes. Sistoi had been poisoned during his failed attempt on Rei's life at the Fighting Tournament. Though it was a lethal toxin, he had narrowly escaped death. Yet, escaping death did not mean a full recovery. He was left with lingering effects: a suppressed appetite and a corresponding drop in physical strength.
That he had regained this much of his physical ability was due to both his innate potential and sheer grit. However, even if he was recovering his strength, his combat power was undeniably inferior to what it once had been. In that light, being given a secondary task instead of an immediate order to kill Crimson was a stroke of luck.
Mura murmured the target's name. "Sobul... I believe that was it. Apparently, he's a person of considerable importance within the First Prince Faction. They're keeping his location under tight lock and key."
She had scouted the camp for information but found no trace of his whereabouts. She wasn't particularly bothered, as she hadn't expected a simple search to yield results for a target of this level.
"I heard he's an intellectual type," Sistoi said. "Won't he just slow us down? If possible, I'd rather grab him right as we're making our escape."
"Don't be ridiculous. We failed the Crimson mission. This is a show of leniency toward us, so we have to do this job perfectly."
Indeed, Sobul was their target—though in the sense of a rescue. The order had been given to them because they had failed to kill Crimson. However, the request itself had been arranged by Count Schwindel's faction as a "souvenir" to offer Cabajid in exchange for military support.
Mura hoped this would give Sistoi more time to heal. Luck was on their side, too: a Requiem Bell cooperator was positioned near Sobul. Discovering the target's location—usually the hardest part—was already handled.
"Anyway, we've seen enough of the camp for now. Honestly, I didn't expect it to be this massive."
"You're right. It's beyond the size of a village. It could pass for a town. But that works in our favor."
"True. With this many people, we can vanish into the crowd in an instant. More importantly, it's almost time for our meeting. They won't want to wait around, so let's get moving."
Sistoi nodded silently. The meeting place was a tavern set up within the camp. As it was a rebel camp, it wasn't a proper building, just tables and chairs set up outside. It was popular and bustling, though it closed when it rained. Today, however, was a clear autumn day.
"We might as well try the food," Mura suggested. "I heard the cooking here is actually quite good."
"If you say so," Sistoi replied. He still lacked an appetite, but he understood Mura was trying to take care of him.
Upon arrival, Mura scanned the area for their contact. She wasn't counting heads but looking for a specific marker: a longsword with a flashy blue scabbard and a red hilt resting on a table.
She spotted the target and walked toward him. Sistoi followed, acting as her guard. In truth, Mura was a member of the Requiem Bell herself; while combat wasn't her primary trade, she could handle a dozen drunks easily.
"Do you mind if we join you?" Mura asked with a friendly smile.
The man looked up, his expression unrevealing. He wore standard soldier's equipment and had a face that would disappear in any crowd. If the man currently interrogating Sobul saw him, he would recognize him as the soldier who brought Riot fruit as a snack. The soldier noticed the bracelet Mura wore—the sign for their meeting—and nodded.
"Sure. I was drinking alone anyway. Getting to drink with a beauty like you is more than I could hope for. How about your friend? The selection's a bit limited here, but the ale isn't half bad."
Sistoi sat down without a word. He sat beside Mura, making it clear they were together. He had originally wanted to stand behind her, but such a formal posture would have been too suspicious. Instead, he took his seat and kept watch on their surroundings.
After ordering ale and snacks from a waitress, Mura got down to business.
"Nice to meet you. Or should I say 'finally'?" Mura began.
"Neither," the man replied. "It's best if we're not associated. Don't get too friendly."
"Hehe, fair enough. But greetings are only polite. Anyway... can I assume the target's location is confirmed?"
"Yeah. But the guard is heavy. Skilled soldiers are watching him. If you're taking him out of here, you'll either have to kill them all or slip him out without a sound. I'll leave the method to you, but I'd prefer the latter."
Mura tilted her head slightly. "And why is that?"
"I'm your cooperator, but that doesn't mean I feel nothing for the men here. I've lived with them; it's only natural."
"...I see. I'll take that into consideration. Breaking through the front would mean taking on the whole rebel army alone anyway. I'd prefer to keep things quiet. But for that, I'll need more information on the surroundings."
Mura thought she could handle it with her dolls. The soldier, hoping to spare his comrades' lives, began to divulge everything he knew.